Boilermaker Chili
Posted: 02/18/25
Updated: 02/19/25
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This boilermaker chili is the ultimate tailgate chili recipe! It’s loaded with chili beans, ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, and a ton of rich spices. There’s no lack of flavor in this chili, and it’s guaranteed to keep the whole team full and happy.
What We Love About This Recipe
- Named for the Boilermakers, the football team at Purdue University (where the recipe originated), this recipe is so delicious even this Alabama alumna is a huge fan! (But, y’know. Roll Tide.)
- The flavors in this boilermaker chili are absolutely unbelievable! So. Many. Spices. Two different meats, a ton of chili beans and sauces, a dark beer for depth, and a touch of sugar to bring it all together. You will definitely win a cook-off competition or two with this recipe!
- Boilermaker chili is super thick and hearty and just all-around satisfying. Perfect for game days, sure, but also for any crisp autumn day or chilly winter evening.
Chef’s Tips
- The longer the chili simmers, the deeper and richer the flavors will be. Just make sure you stir it often, to keep it from sticking or burning.
- If you’ve got a stock pot large enough, double the recipe and freeze some chili in small servings to enjoy effortlessly throughout the cooler months.
- Use a lean ground beef like 85/15 or 90/10. Too much fat content and you can get a chili that’s greasy or oily. Too little, though, and you risk the ground beef drying out.
Chilis, Soups, and Stews We Can’t Get Enough Of
- Mexican Chili
- Ratatouille Soup
- Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe
- Kale and White Bean Soup
- Low Carb Chili (No Beans!)
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Potato Asparagus Soup
- Whole30 White Chicken Chili
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup
- Seafood Chili
- Hazelnut Soup with Parsnips
- Sweet Potato Chili
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Boilermaker Chili
Loaded with chili beans, ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, and a ton of rich spices, this chili recipe is guaranteed to keep the whole team full and happy.
servings
Ingredients
For the Boilermaker Chili
- 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.
- 1 cup chopped celery approximately 2 large stalks
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion approximately 1 large onion
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper approximately 1 large bell pepper, seeds removed
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper approximately 1 large bell pepper, seeds removed
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped serrano pepper approximately 2 peppers, seeds removed
- ¼ cup chili powder more or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic approximately 2 large cloves
- 2 pounds lean ground beef 85/15 or 90/10 preferred
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 3 15-ounce cans chili beans drained
- 1 15-ounce can chili beans in spicy sauce do not drain
- 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes do not drain
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon approximately 4 thick-cut slices
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 4 cubes beef bouillon or 4 teaspoons beef bouillon paste
- 1 cup beer of choice dark stout preferred
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- corn chips crushed or whole
- minced red onions
- shredded cheddar or shredded Mexican cheese blend
- cornbread
Equipment
- large stock pot with lid
- large wooden spoon
- Small bowl
- mixing spoon
Instructions
- Place large stock pot on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil to stock pot and continue heating pot over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmery.
- When oil is ready, add 1 cup chopped celery, 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion, 1 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 cup chopped red bell pepper, and 2-3 tablespoons chopped serrano pepper to pot. Stir to incorporate.
- Sauté ingredients, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until ingredients have softened and onions are translucent.
- While ingredients sauté, add ¼ cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to small bowl. Mix spices together until well-blended.
- Once onions are translucent, sprinkle spice blend over ingredients in stock pot. Stir until spices are fully incorporated.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, 2 pounds lean ground beef, and 1 pound bulk Italian sausage to stock pot. Cook ingredients, stirring often, until meat is browned and crumbled.
- Pour 3 15-ounce cans chili beans, 1 15-ounce can chili beans in spicy sauce, 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, and 1 6-ounce can tomato paste into stock pot and stir to incorporate.
- Add ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 4 cubes beef bouillon, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 cup beer of choice, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to stock pot. Stir until ingredients are well-blended.
- Place lid on stock pot and reduce heat under stock pot to low. Simmer chili, stirring occasionally, 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, taste chili. Adjust salt, pepper, chili powder, sugar, and/or hot sauce as desired.
- Continue simmering chili, stirring occasionally, 1 to 3 hours more or as long as desired. Longer simmer times will yield deeper flavors.
- Optional: After simmering chili, turn off heat under stock pot and let chili cool completely, stirring often. Transfer cooled chili to airtight container. Place chili in refrigerator and refrigerate overnight. Reheat chili on stove top over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until hot.
- When ready to serve chili, ladle chili into bowls. Top with corn chips, minced red onions, and shredded cheddar, and serve immediately with cornbread if desired.
Notes
- Refrigerator Storage: Let chili cool completely, then transfer chili (without toppings) to an airtight container. Refrigerate chili up to 5 days.
- Freezer Storage: Let chili cool completely, then transfer chili (without toppings) to an airtight container. Freeze chili up to 6 months. Defrost chili in the fridge overnight, then reheat chili on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 serving (without toppings) | Calories: 760kcal | Protein: 48g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Total Carbs: 61g | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 15g | Added Sugars: 2g | Erythritol: 0g | Allulose: 0g | Sugar Alcohols: 0g | Net Carbs: 45g | Vitamin C: 45mg | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 2122mg | Potassium: 2162mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 8mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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